1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-directional switching device suitable particularly for a motor-driven window mirror device for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The drawings of a conventional multi-directional switching device will be described. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a conventional multi-directional switching device, FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8—8 of FIG. 7, FIG. 9 relates to a conventional multi-directional switching device, and is a sectional view taken on line 9—9 of FIG. 7 showing an elastic spring member, and FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10—10 of FIG. 7.
A box-shaped case 51 made of synthetic resin material is composed of: an upper wall 51a; a side wall 51b extendedly provided perpendicularly from the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall 51a, for enclosing the periphery; a substantially quadrangular recess 51c provided at the upper left side of the upper wall 51a; grooves 51d provided at four corners of the recess 51c; and a through hole 51e provided at the central part of the recess 51c. Also, this through hole 51e is formed in a cross-shaped rectangle shape, and on the outer surface portion of the through hole 51e, there is provided a circular arc-shaped and hemispherical receiving portion 51f. 
Also, within the case 51, there is provided a partition plate 51g, which is perpendicularly extendedly provided from the upper wall 51a within the case 51, and this partition plate 51g provides a first storage 51h and a second storage 51i within the case 51 so as to be adjacent to each other. On the upper wall 51a located on the second storage 51i, there is provided a through hole 51j. 
A substantially quadrangular elastic spring member 52 made of elastic rubber material has four rubber domes 52a provided at cross-shaped four corners respectively and a circular through hole 52b provided at the central part. This rubber dome 52a has a substantially cylindrical column-shaped pressing portion 52c, a cone 52d holding the pressing portion 52c, a substantially quadrangular base 52e having the cone 52d, and a projection 52f projecting downward from the outer peripheral edge of a base 52e. Also, the underside of the pressing portion 52c is disposed to overhang within the cone 52d. 
Also, this elastic spring member 52 is disposed within the recess 51c of the case 51, and in this state, the projection 52f of the elastic spring member 52 is inserted and arranged within the groove 51d of the case 51, whereby the elastic spring member 52 is positioned at the case 51.
Also, in this state, within a through hole 52b of the elastic spring member 52, a through hole 51e of the case 51 is positioned.
Also, the pressing portion 52c of this rubber dome 52a and the cone 52d are formed such that a distance L3 between their respective under sides is comparatively short, and when a pressing force is applied to the pressing portion 52c of the rubber dome 52a, this pressing force presses the pressing portion 52c downward to cause the cone 52d to buckle, and the pressing portion 52c abuts against the upper wall 51a. Thus, since the distance L3 is comparatively short, the cone 52d serves as a small stroke.
An operating member 53 made of synthetic resin material is substantially circular, and has: an operating unit 53a; a peripheral edge 53b substantially perpendicularly extendedly provided from the outer peripheral edge of the operating unit 53a; four protrusions 53c protruding downward from the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the operating unit 53a, provided at respective positions of a cross shape; and a square pillar-shaped driving unit 53d protruding downward from the central part of the operating unit 53a. Also, on surfaces opposite to each other at the intermediate portion of the square pillar-shaped driving unit 53d, there are provided a pair of recesses 53e, and at the root of the driving unit 53d, there is provided a support 53f having a hemispherical recess.
The driving unit 53d of this operating member 53 is inserted into the through hole 51e of the case 51, and is held in a state in which the support 53f of the operating member 53 is placed on the receiving portion 51f of the case 51. In this state, four protrusions 53c provided of the operating member 53 are opposite to four pressing portions 52c of the rubber domes 52a respectively, and are brought into press contact (abut against) and disposed.
Thus, this operating member 53 is constructed such that the driving unit 53d thereof is inserted within the through hole 51e formed in a cross shape in the case 51, and that the operating member 53 is capable of inclining in four cross-shaped directions in which a first straight line X1 for passing through the center of the operating member 53 and a second straight line Y1 for passing through the center and intersecting the first straight line X1 at right angles intersect each other at right angles. Also, when the operating member 53 has been inserted into the case 51, those four rubber domes 52a have been respectively arranged midway between the first straight line X1 and the second straight line Y1 which are directions in which the operating member 53 inclines. In this state, the operating member 53 is inclined in each direction, whereby two protrusions 53c adjacent to each other which have been disposed on the inclined direction side press downward two pressing portions 52c of the rubber domes 52a which have been abutted against each other. This downward pressing causes those two cones 52d to buckle, and the buckling of these cones 52d produces the operator of the operating member 53 a feeling of click.
Also, since the smooth underside of the protrusion 53c of the operating member 53 made of a molded object and the smooth top surface of the pressing portion 52c of the rubber dome 52a are always brought into press contact and are in a tight contact state, the protrusion 53c presses the pressing portion 52c in the tight contact state during this inclining operation. Therefore, the cone 52d buckles while being pressed in a direction indicated by an arrow Z, and produces a poor feeling of click.
A holder 54 made of synthetic resin material has: a substantially hemispherical proximal portion 54a; a quadrangular through hole 54b provided at the central part of the proximal portion 54a; and a pair of elastic pawls 54c opposite to the central part of the proximal portion 54a. 
Within the through hole 54b of this holder 54, the driving unit 53d of the operating member 53 is inserted, and the elastic pawl 54c is snap-in engaged in the recess 53e in the driving unit 53d, whereby the operating member 53 is prevented from coming off on the upper wall 51a of the case 51 and is positioned.
Also, in this state, the operating member 53 is mounted onto the upper wall 51a of the case 51 so as to be able to incline in four directions of the cross shape.
A sliding type switch 55 is composed of: a substantially rectangular slider 56 made of synthetic resin material; plural groups of movable contacts 57 mounted onto the underside of the slider 56; a printed circuit board 58 provided at a position opposite to the movable contact 57; and plural groups of fixed contacts (not shown) formed on the printed circuit board 58 toward and away from which the movable contact 57 moves.
Also, the slider 56 for the switch 55 has, at the central part, a square through hole 56a, and a recess 56b for housing the movable contact 57 and a coil spring 63, and within this through hole 56a, the driving unit 53d of the operating member 53 is inserted through, and the printed circuit board 58 is mounted so as to cover an open portion below the case 51. Thus, the structure is arranged such that the operating member 53 is inclined in four directions of the cross shape, whereby the slider 56 is driven horizontally with respect to the printed circuit board 58 in four directions of the cross shape, and the driving of this slider 56 causes the movable contact 57 to move toward and away on the fixed contact (not shown) for switching the contact of the switch 55.
This switch 55 is housed and arranged within a first storage 51h of the case 51.
A second sliding type switch 60 of FIG. 10 is composed of: a substantially rectangular slider 60a made of synthetic resin material; plural groups of movable contacts 60b mounted onto the underside of the slider 60a; a printed circuit board 58 provided at a position opposite to the movable contact 60b; and plural groups of fixed contacts (not shown) formed on the printed circuit board 58, toward and away from which the movable contact 60b moves.
Also, the slider 60a of the switch 60 has, at the central part, a projection 60c for projecting outwardly; and a recess 60d for housing the movable contact 60b and a coil spring 64. Also, this switch 60 is housed and arranged within the second storage 51i. 
An operating knob 62 made of synthetic resin material is mounted by appropriate means in a state in which it has been inserted into the through hole 51j of the upper wall 51a of the case 51, and the structure is arranged such that the second sliding type switch 60 is operated by operating this operating knob 62.
A bottom wall member 59 made of synthetic resin material has a bottom wall 59a and a side wall 59b extendedly provided perpendicularly from a predetermined place on the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall 59a. The bottom wall 59a of this bottom wall member 59 is placed on the lower part of the printed circuit board 58, and this bottom wall member 59 is mounted onto an opened end of the side wall 51b of the case 51 by appropriate means such as snap-in engagement.
A connector 61 has an insulating holding body 61a; and a terminal 61b held by this holding body 61a, and this terminal 61b is mounted onto the case 51 in a state in which this terminal 61b is electrically connected to a fixed contact (not shown) of the printed circuit board 58. The switching operation of the contact of the switch 55, 60 is outputted to an external electric device through the connector 61.
Next, the description will be made of an operation of this conventional multi-directional switch.
First, when the operating member 53 is inclined by pressing a position of point A in the left direction on the second straight line Y1 of the operating member 53 shown in FIG. 7, each pressing portion 52c of two rubber domes 52a located on both sides sandwiching the point A therebetween is pressed by each protrusion 53c of the operating member 53, and when this pressing portion 53c is pressed, the cone 52d buckles to produce the operator a feeling of click.
Also, since this cone 52d is formed into a small stroke, this feeling of click is poor.
Also, by inclining this operating member 53, the driving unit 53d of the operating member 53 drives the switch 55 to perform the switching operation of the switch 55 at the pressure at the point A.
At this time, since the smooth underside of the protrusion 53c and the smooth top surface of the pressing portion 52c are always brought into press contact and are in a tight contact state, the protrusion 53c presses the pressing portion 52c in the tight contact state during this inclining operation. Therefore, the cone 52d buckles while being pressed in a direction indicated by the arrow Z, and produces a poor feeling of click.
Next, when the pressure to the point A on the second straight line Y1 of the operating member 53 is released, restoring forces of the two rubber domes 52a, which have buckled restore the operating member 53 to a parallel position to the upper wall 51a of the original case 51.
Next, since the operations when a position of point B in the right direction on the second straight line Y1 of the operating member 53 shown in FIG. 7, and positions of points C and D in the vertical directions on the first straight line X1 are pressed are similar to the above-described pressing operation at the position of the point A in the left direction, the description will be omitted.
Next, as regards the operation of the second sliding type switch 60, by operating the operating knob 62, the slider 60a of the switch 60 slides on the printed circuit board 58, and the sliding of this slider 60a causes the switching operation of the contact of the switch 60 to be performed.
Also, this switch 60 is used to switch the left and right window mirrors of the motor-driven window mirror device, and the switch 55 is used for the switching operation of the left or right window mirror in the vertical and lateral directions.
The above-described multi-directional switching device has a problem that a sufficient feeling of click cannot be produced because small buckling of the two cones 52d of rubber domes produces a feeling of click.
Also, the above-described multi-directional switching device has a problem that a good feeling of click cannot be obtained for the following reason. Since the smooth underside of the protrusion 53c of the operating member 53 and the smooth top surface of the pressing portion 52c of the rubber dome 52a are always brought into press contact and are in a tight contact state, the protrusion 53c presses the pressing portion 52c in the tight contact state during the inclining operation of the operating member 53. Therefore, the cone 52d buckles while being pressed in an oblique direction (direction indicated by the arrow Z), and produces a feeling of click.